From Grapes to Glass

9th November 2018

You love wine and everything that comes with it. But have you ever wondered how it goes from grapes to glass?

Whether you’re in the Swan Valley, Western Australia or Bordeaux, France, there are 5 main stages to wine making – We share them with you today.

1. The Harvesting

Fine wine requires the grapes to be harvested at the perfect time.

How do winemakers know when is the perfect time to harvest? With a combination of science and old-fashioned tasting.

Harvesting can be done mechanically or by hand. Many vineyards prefer to hand harvest, as mechanical harvesters can sometimes be too tough on the grapes.

For premium conditions, grape picking begins at dawn and ends early on hot summer days in the Swan Valley.

2. The Crushing

For thousands of years, men and women performed the ‘harvest dance’ in barrels and pressers to crush the grapes – The time-honored tradition of stomping or trodding the grapes into what is commonly referred to as must.

Today, much of the fun-loving ritual has disappeared from the wine making process, with mechanical crushes performing the duty instead.

As sad as that may seem, mechanical pressing has in fact improved the quality and longevity of wine, while reducing the winemaker’s need for preservatives.

3. The Fermenting

Fermenting is perhaps the most magical part of the wine making process.

What does this magical part do? Simply put, fermentation is where the sugar converts into alcohol.

There are many different technologies and techniques used during this process, with the one used being dependant on the grape.

The fermenting stage includes:

Red Wine: Carbon dioxide is released during fermentation which causes the grape skins to rise to the surface. Winemakers must punch down or pump over the “cap” several times a day to keep the skins in contact with the juice.

White Wine: Yeast is added to the vats so that fermentation can take place.

4. The Aging

Like the fermenting, the aging stage too, has lots of choices for winemakers and their choice will depend on the style of wine they wish to create.

The main wine aging choices are:

Aging for several years vs. several months

Aging in stainless steel vs. oak

Aging in new oak vs. ‘neutral’ or used barrels

Aging in various levels of ‘toasted’ barrels

5. The Bottling

The final stage of the wine making process involves the bottling of wine. The winemaker has the choice of bottling a wine immediately, or they can give a wine additional aging.

Further aging can be done in bottle, stainless steel or ceramic tanks, large wooden ovals, or small barrels, commonly called barriques.

The choices and techniques employed in this final stage of the process are nearly endless, as are the end results.

Now that you know that 5 main stages of the wine making process, are you ready to have a go at making your own?

Categories

Testimonials

"Many thanks for being a perfect host to us on Saturday, we had so much fun! We all enjoyed the venues, food, wine and sweet treats at the end. I would (and I will) recommend your business to my friends and colleagues, you have a great energy and a good sense of humour."

Alenka

Testimonials

"Matt is a true gentleman. He works hard to make his tours the best. You're looked after 100% and feel very relaxed from start to finish! If you love boutique beers and a great friendly hospitality Top Gun Tours won't disappoint :-) thank you"

Michael

Testimonials

"I just wanted to say thanks for doing everything possible to give us a great experience during our beer tour on 30th Dec. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would like to commend you on your service and professionalism. You made the brewery tour one to remember, we won't hesitate in recommending you to our friends and we'll definitely book another tour with you sometime in the future."

Jemma

Testimonials

"Thanks for the awesome brewery tour Matt! Everything went so well and it was great to just relax and know that the day was in good hands. Thanks so much, everyone had a ball!!"

Aimee

Testimonials

"Awesome tour once again (my 3rd time now, it's that good). Matt is a legend, can't speak highly enough of him (even though he wore his Hawthorn jersey all day after the grand final). If you're looking for a fun day out, get onto the liquid gold brewery tour. Looking forward to the next trip with Top Gun in the future!"

Andrew

Testimonials

"This tour really was 'Top Gun'. Premier venues, tastings, lunch and coach travel with added fizz from Matt. We have been on wine trips around the world - California, France and Spain in particular - and this trip was up there with the very best. Close to Perth, short distance between wineries so more tastings and less travel time. Would recommend a visit to the Swan Valley. Many thanks again Matt for a fantastic day."